Kali
by Hermonthis
Summary: Dark Ace, Piper – “If you were my daughter, I’d never let you play with those boys.” A Talon speaks to a Storm Hawk and starts to doubt.


A/N: Originally a two-hundred word drabble, I had too much fun playing around with the characters and decided to expand it further. For LJ's (livejournal's) 78tarot, the prompt was The Emperor. 78tarot is a fanfiction community that challenges authors to pick a fandom and write one story for each card of the tarot deck, resulting in seventy-eight fanfics in total.

About the title: Kali is a major Hindu goddess associated with life, death/destruction and rebirth. A deity of time and change. I liked the idea that a friendship between Piper and Cyclonis had the potential to destroy both the Storm Hawks and the Talons, and the two girls had the ability to recreate the Atmos into something strange and new (something men like the Dark Ace would fear).

* * *

**K A L I**

He wondered if they truly appreciated her.

Approaching the holding room, he waved two fingers at the guards posted at the door to allow him through. The Talons nodded their heads and lowered their gaze to show deference while the Dark Ace gained access with a single word.

"Key."

The small, silver thing dropped on the palm of his hand as his fingers closed over it. For a moment, he considered signaling the guards away to avoid eavesdropping but then again, these men were too frightened of him to do anything of the sort. They might snicker behind his back but when he emerged from that door, a single threatening glance in addition to the blade of his sword would shut them up nicely. Not to mention a generous word or two towards Master Cyclonis - and the two human posts could easily wind up working downstairs where Cyclonia's furnaces are.

It surprised him when Master Cyclonis brought her in; unwilling he might add, but definitely intrigued. He didn't know the details of his mistress's plan, nor was he privy to ask about it. The girl – the Storm Hawk – still wore her navy blue outfit which he assumed she tailored herself. Patches on her clothes, the large stitches on the orange sleeves, screamed her squadron lived in abject poverty.

Still, the colour complimented her dark blue hair and she had the most striking pair of orange eyes he'd seen. Not very many people were born with that same shade.

He followed them in secret. Originally, his intention was to greet his master and her guest at the docking bay, but once he received word she would not accept his presence and wanted to be left alone; needless to say, his feeling were hurt. Therefore, he had to spy on them.

Seeing the girls walk side by side only served to highlight the difference between them. Whereas Master Cyclonis chose to remain cloaked to protect her identity despite her ownership of the entire citadel, the other girl seemed to give little thought about exposing her face and upper arms.

They were coming up the stairs now, and their voices bounced off the stone walls and drained into his eager ears.

Ah, so Piper was her name. He'd forgotten. The commander playfully speculated which one of the girls was older. He still didn't know his master's birthday. She wouldn't tell him.

What did his master do to convince her to drop her guard, leave her team, and pay a visit to their humble home? As far as he could tell, their personalities clashed horribly. And yet, the young ruler of Cyclonia singled out this dark-skinned girl from the rest of the Storm Hawks, from the rest of the other Sky Knight squadrons, and labeled her as the most dangerous of them all - this teenage girl, this fourteen-year old child who always hung about his nemesis, Aerrow.

Before the violet-haired ruler left for her solitary mission he asked her why. With a cryptic smile and a glitter in her eyes, she answered,

"We're quite similar, Piper and I. She just has to realize that."

And now he was just outside the girl's door, planning to interrogate her without his master's knowledge or consent.

The Talon on his left made the mistake to question his superior officer's motives. The Dark Ace gripped the key tightly but made no physical gesture to open the door. He just stood there transfixed as his red eyes glazed over.

"Sir?" Was Cyclonia's champion not feeling well?

"You!" The commander whirled his head around and snapped at him. "Both of you! Get out of here or I'll wring your necks!"

The guards picked up their staffs and ran down the hall. They didn't need to be told twice. Dark Ace let out a short bark of laughter to make them hurry down the stairway, their boots clacked against the floor as they let out a squeal of terror to get away.

Good help was incredibly hard to find these days. Granted, there were Talons who served Cyclonia out of loyalty, but no one could equal his devotion towards the heir. They were mechanics and school graduates, first-born sons and proud daughters. But it all came down to the simple truth: they were scared of Master Cyclonis. They had reason to with her genius and cunning. The royal advisors were right to give her books to read as a child, her crystal mastery was astounding.

Sadly, her inevitable rule was hampered by those pesky Sky Knights. She suffered needlessly by employing the Raptors, those speech-impaired lizards who only served her to gain spoils from the airships they raided. As far as the Talons went, brute strength only went so far. Just look at Mr. Snipe.

The Dark Ace exhaled all the air from his lungs with one hand held the key while the other gripped the doorknob.

Considering himself to be the sole exception, Dark Ace believed the ones destined to rule this broken world should be women. An endless land of a thousand mountain top kingdoms all drifting apart above the Wastelands, unsure of the future and unaware of their past. No other terra put as much effort into technological research and development as his master did, and while the factories built bigger and better machines, the fools on Terra Rex kept polishing their antique sky rides.

Women held empires together. Women knew what to do. He clashed with many different people over the years, and yet this is one belief that remained. Nameless Talons are a dime a dozen and they made up the bulk majority of the army, but look who ran it. Cyclonis. And who dared to boast their archery skills in front of Ravess? No one.

And he couldn't forget the way Repton was defeated by Starling of the Interceptors. Now, there's another woman who knew how to get things done. He would have never guessed the stoic, obedient Talon was the missing Sky Knight. He knew of her back when she disguised herself as a recruit. He even watched her rise among the ranks until she was worthy to personally guard Master Cyclonis - until she revealed her identity and sought to end his master's life.

He'd taken a liking to violet hair despite her green eyes, and didn't deny once or twice, he would have liked to take her out for dinner. Fortunately, the opportunity didn't present itself.

A smirk appeared on his lips as he slid the key into place and turned the knob. Just what was so engaging about Piper? Curiosity overruled his fear of punishment. After all, the Storm Hawk was a guest. It was only proper to pay her a call.

Master Cyclonis was working on her next machine, a duplicate of the Storm Engine the red-headed whelp of a Sky Knight destroyed along with the Aurora Stone. Without the crystal of Atmos, his liege had to work thrice as hard to achieve the same level of power she once had. Perhaps that was why she tried to bring the girl back with her that first time with the Oblivion Crystal. He didn't ask why she failed.

And now, she was here.

She stood in the middle of the room, her gaze focused upon the ceiling with her arms tight around her back. A posture similar to the one she wore half an hour ago while Master Cyclonis flaunted and showed off her throne room, albeit the girl's mouth and eyes were wide open in terror and awe. The Cyclonian felt like laughing as he spied on the girls and found great amusement watching Piper. Flaunting power was, and always will be, a major boost to anyone's ego.

He opened the door wide, didn't wince when it creaked as his red eyes took in the layout of the room without resting too long on her. He positioned himself inside the door frame, angling his body in such a way she could see the glint of his sword on his back to annul any whims of escape; she would not be escaping during this interlude.

He knew she wasn't going to stay long, he was all too familiar with the Storm Hawks to realize they always found a way in and out of the stronghold. Should one of their teammates become separated, the rest would come their rescue and dispatch several useless Talons in the process. Time was limited.

The room? A bedroom apparently. Abandoned or forgotten, it was not to his tastes. There was a window of French design, covered with white lace curtains that have long since yellowed with age. The floor was a breeding ground for dust bunnies and the scuff marks screamed it had seen better days. There was a dresser on the left side of the room, close to another door that led to a place even he didn't know. It must be locked. The air was weighted down with decades and the faint smell of old flowers was enough to give a lesser man a headache.

He stepped inside, his polished boots gathered up a small gray storm around his feet and immediately he felt part of the ugly décor. The room's previous inhabitant must have taken a liking to flowers. His nostrils caught the heavy scent of lilacs as he crossed one-third of the room and spotted dried red petals on the bed. Roses. Musky.

The Talon spoke first.

"Hello."

"Um, _hello._" She looked startled when realized it was the Dark Ace and not Master Cyclonis, who came through the door. Her eyebrows came down as she slid her feet a little wider and prepared for battle. Her right hand immediately went to her hip before her orange eyes went wide at the recollection the Cyclonian ruler must have lifted her staff when she was distracted.

"Relax, girl. I have orders not to harm you."

The child loosened up her shoulders with these words and he gave her a lopsided grin.

In reality, Master Cyclonis gave him no such order. He wasn't supposed to be in this section of the citadel, much less spy on the girls as they made their way through corridors, and he certainly didn't have clearance to acquaint himself with the Storm Hawk.

But really, he's indifferent to her. Aside from her striking dark looks and her gender, there is noting else that distinguished her from the rest of the group. Not through his eyes anyway. Then again, he didn't spend hours poring over the formation of the Storm Hawks in general, had no care for them except Aerrow, but personal vendettas usually garnered more attention.

Next to the window there is a desk. He grabbed the accompanying chair and instead of sitting on it in proper fashion, carried it over to the middle of the room. Twirling it around on one wooden leg, he straddled the seat and draped his arms over the back of the chair. It's a comfortable position, unconventional, and his relaxed demeanor is meant to confuse her.

"What are you doing here? Where are the guards?"

"Useless Talons? Sent them away." He smiled genially at her. "So, satiate my curiosity."

Dark Ace's eyes followed the girl's curves as she crossed her arms and turned around carefully, scanned the room for objects or pieces of furniture for protection should things abruptly become physical. With a lazy smile he can see the cogs working away in her brain. How amusing. Since she arrived, watching her has been pure entertainment.

After considering him a non-lethal threat, Piper shifted her weight and rested a hand on her right hip. It was a small gesture, but still an offensive move. But he still has the upper hand for her crystal staff is missing.

"So?" she asked. He has no idea what the girl is talking about.

"So what?"

"Are you going to explain why I'm in this stinky old bedroom instead of the dungeons?" The blue-haired, dark-skinned girl threw her hands up in the air as the Dark Ace guffawed. Didn't Master Cyclonis already establish she was a guest? What did the girl expect? A backstage pass inside his mistress's personal quarters?

She hardly thinks his laughter amusing and took a step forward to teach him a lesson. Without delay, the Talon reacted to her advances and shot up from the chair, his hand ready to grip his blade and hold it against the slender column of her throat.

"Do you _want_ to be in the dungeons? I can arrange that, too."

She stopped. Good thinking. The man settled back down with a pleased sigh.

Propping his chin on his hand, he stared at her like an observer looking in on an exotic animal at the local zoo. Now he's starting to see what made her so interesting, and why Master Cyclonis would want someone like her on their side. She's got an excellent thinking head on those shoulders, and despite his reputation, the girl's not afraid to speak her mind.

"Have you ever wondered why she brought you here? Why she thinks you're the most dangerous out of the Storm Hawks?"

Standing up, he took three steps forward to hover above her, liking the bubble of tension she emitted. She took a step back. Feeling decidedly playful, he moved forward only to have her step back once more. Clasping his hands behind his back, he continued this little game around the room, pursued her around the chair, danced around the floor until she exploded in confusion and anger – he started to laugh.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Having fun," he answered simply and made sure to keep the temptation to scare her at a minimum. "I heard you liked the Storm Engine a lot. Do you want to help us improve it?"

"Back off." She warned, her voice fluctuated between panic and logic. Eventually, her shoulders lowered and the timbre of her voice became steady and calculating as she searched for his weakness.

"You know, I think Master Cyclonis believes you belong with us." The flicker in her eyes confirmed the truth. "I don't know why you refused. We'll give you lots of things, Piper. A terra. Multiple sky rides. How about your own crystal laboratory? Master said you liked those rocks. I bet you'd like one of your own, right?"

"That's not the reason why I came here." Now, he's the one with his back against the window while Piper strategically placed herself just behind the chair, fingers flexed and ready to hurl the wooden seat at him. "I came here to convince her to come with us!

Ridiculous. As if his mistress would drop everything to hang out with a ragtag group of teenagers. As if they could lure the youngest ruler in the history of Cyclonia with promises of forgiveness and friendship. He went down that road before, oh the stories he could tell Piper, and how disillusioned they all were. There was no such thing as forgiveness, not after a war. People never looked at you the same once they suspected you of treachery, and the only path left to him was to live up to their expectations. He quickly learned he couldn't trust anyone but himself.

Insecurity welled up within his chest as his mind recalled his final days as a Storm Hawk. Clenching his hands into fists, Piper wondered what happened to cause such a reaction from the Talon.

And just like that, she was a threat to him. This dark-skinned girl, young and innocent with midnight blue hair and tangerine eyes – she jeopardized his place among the Master's favourites simply with her affinity for crystals and her gender.

Yes, it would be nice for Master Cyclonis to have another female friend, especially one of her own age. Yes, they could work together, build more Storm Engines, devastate the quadrant, and leave the clean-up to the Talons. If either girl joined the other, it would mean the end of both the Talons and the Storm Hawks. But he wouldn't accept her because she was Atmosian, and his liege would betray her ancestors if she gave up her heritage.

"What are you going to do when you're in a position where you have no weapons and no friends around you?" he taunted, circling her and pointed out all her disadvantages as she kept her front towards him, always prepared for an incoming attack.

She answered with finality. "I can fight."

There was such defiance in her orange eyes, a desire to do what she thought was right it sickened him. Red-headed youth and their ideals about saving the world, they were too young to know what the real world was like, or too blind to see it. Atmos needed a different mantra to recite, one with structure and order and practicality. Master Cyclonis would provide that formation the world needed, rebuild the skies with her own hands. She knew how to look at a crystal, raw and undefined, and make it into something magnificent.

"My fight's not against you," he answered stiffly, willed his hand to remain still as Piper looked ready for a brawl, her body down and low to the ground as she prepared to crouch and make use of her petite frame. The Dark Ace had no doubt in his mind he would win against her; he had the only sword in the room. But he couldn't, not while she was under his master's protection. Piper was still a guest.

"I'm not here to join Cyclonia," the girl declared as an afterthought as he snorted. Forget it, he had no business with the girl. Aerrow was the one he was after. Aerrow, leader of the new Storm Hawks, and everything he stood for. That's right; the focus should be on _him_.

"And I'm not here to convince you," he answered lamely. He'd had enough and what started off as a fun time for espionage turned into insecurity regarding his own character. He rarely questioned his master's orders, obeyed her commands to a fault and always sought to expand Cyclonia's reign as he defeated the Sky Knights, one after the other.

He crossed over to the far side of the room and halted just ahead of the door. Too much time spent in this ugly room full of dust and memories and women who wanted to destroy his world. He wasn't even allowed here, and to avoid suspicious questions regarding the filthy state of his clothes he had to change.

Turning his body three-quarters, he asked her a question.

"You, I don't understand." He raised a thick, inquiring eyebrow as Piper tilted her head to the side and wrapped her arms around her chest. She seemed calm now, recognized she was safe from harm. Her face was thoughtful as she waited to be released one way or another. He didn't blame her for being so hopeful, this citadel was full of fools all wearing the same uniform.

"You're the only girl in a group of guys, what were you thinking? Don't you have parents or someone to take care of you? If you were my daughter, I'd never let you play with those boys."

Piper's eyes widened – such an unusual comment coming from someone like him.

"There's no one to take care of me. I had to do it myself."

And to her surprise, the Dark Ace smiled. He seemed relieved by her response, it was the answer to a nagging question he didn't share during their brief time together. Without another word, he left the room and locked the door. Piper wasn't worried, not in the least. Master Cyclonis would come for her, they'd talk, and then she'd be on her way. And if not, Aerrow would come for her. He'd never leave a teammate behind.

The Talon dropped the key inside his pocket, dusted off his clothes once more to no avail, and exhaled. That girl, Piper, was wrong about his master. She wouldn't befriend the Storm Hawks or betray Cyclonia just for a few friends. She had a larger role to play in the history of Atmos, and while the dark-skinned girl with the orange eyes might have planted a painful seed of envy inside his chest, he knew whom his life belonged to. Master Cyclonis had someone to protect her, who would always be loyal to her while she took over the world.

In the end, that was all that mattered.


End file.
